At Your Side
by PrettyxInxSin
Summary: Being a first-year in a brand new school where five brothers have already established their legacy is very daunting - fortunately, Ron has somebody to stick it out with him. Fluffy, young Harry/Ron love.


A/N: Oho! O.o Not a Fred/George? Yes, I surprised myself too…but I also thought it'd be legit to diversify my writing profile…as much as I love my twins, I want to try and be a little more out there, because I have a very dangerous habit of falling back into one pairing and never really writing about anything else *scrunches nose*. Don't fear, though, I'll always be on my twincest binge…In the meantime, of course, You now have one Harry/Ron to amuse your eyeballs with…do enjoy~.

p.s. – Hope I got the lines from the movie right. I only had the book on me when I did this, so bear with me~.

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><p>Maybe, Ron decides, that life here at Hogwarts under the shadows of his five preceding brothers won't be as bad now that he has a new friend to keep him company.<p>

The whole process was semi-smooth from train to boat and back on land where the actual castle resided; in that time, he made a new [and, might he add, rather famous] friend named Harry who, like him, carried about uncertainties and anxieties that were inevitable with being a First Year. The only thing that really distinguished the two of them in their joint experience was that Harry hadn't any previous exposure to the wizarding world until just a few days ago.

No, definitely not bad for a first day of magical education…at least, not bad until they are walking up a small, twisting stair-case that leads to the Great Hall does trouble come in the form of one young blonde with pointed features and a sneering face.

'_Oh, no…'_ Ron scrunches his nose up, possessing about his young features a prominent frown. _'It's him.'_

"Is it true?" The blonde raises both of his brows as his icy blue irises eye Harry with an air of surprise. "They've all been saying Harry Potter's coming to this school. It's you, isn't it? Well, my name's Malfoy."

A porcelain hand is extended in front of the raven while a light, hungry smile curls onto the blonde's lips. "Draco Malfoy."

Harry stares at the hand in front of him, saying nothing. Ron gives an audible groan beside him and rolls his eyes.

"Think my name's funny, do you?" The boy named Draco turns to the red-head with a sneer that drastically contorts his pale features. If his bulky friends weren't flanking him side-by-side, Ron would laugh at how ugly the blonde looks with his face twisted about. "No need to ask who _you _are..."

Before the red-head has a proper retaliation formulated in the fore-front of his mind, the blonde merely waves him off and returns to Harry with an insinuating smile that he will be the winner over the famous young wizard.

"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort…I can help you there."

His hand remains in place as he eagerly waits for that tiny hand to reciprocate the mutual acknowledgement. The way Draco figures it, Harry can't resist – with a famous reputation like his, he would be fitted best in the company of pure-bloods who aren't going about being blood traitors.

'_No, no, no…'_ Ron inwardly sighs as defeat swallows his lithe being whole. It was over now…Harry was famous, and Malfoy was reputable…there went his first friend…

The air is thick with the unanswered question for several lingering moments before Harry purses his lips, fingers slyly reaching under his robes so that nobody is able to notice his small digits wrap around Ron's hand.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks."

Malfoy wasn't the only one prepared for that line to be dropped. The two glide past him as he stares at their backs with anger etched all over his young features. Potter would be sure to be warned, because _nobody _waltzes away from him like that…

Ron, on the other hand, is opening and shutting his mouth in momentary shock – did Harry really just decline the potential to rise in the hierarchy of the wizarding world…for him?

"Harry…" The red-head whispers, cerulean eyes still wide with surprise. "You just said no…to Malfoy…"

"Yeah…I know." The raven smiles, nodding in agreement of his recent action.

"But…that's _Malfoy…_look, Harry, I know you're new to this, but the Malfoy's – "

"Are a bunch of gits. Why do I care who they are? They're awful, if you ask me."

"Harry…"

"Look, Ron." Harry turns to him with a moment of lingering resolution before he leans in slightly so that his small voice can be heard over the noise of the Great Hall. "I really don't care who they are, or what they've done. The point of it is, you're my friend, and we're sticking together. Got it?"

"Um…" Ron agreed, to be sure, but couldn't say so – Harry being this close to him made him feel all warm, as if he was dissolving into a sweet bliss of fresh mist shampoo and a touch of new robes… "R…right…"

"Well, don't sound so dull about it." Lips curl up into a light, genuine smile. Ron feels heat spread from his cheeks up to his ears and mentally curses himself for letting his blush get so bad.

"I'm not! I just…I'm still surprised, that's all."

"Alright then, swear on it."

"What?"

"Swear on it." Harry offers his pinky. "We're sticking together…that's how we'll get through Hogwarts…"

"Swear…on it? What kind of game is this?"

Ron tilts his head slightly, staring at Harry's digit like a foreign Muggle object his father might collect.

"It's not a game…all you have to do is take your pinky and cross it with mine. Then we shake on it…it's called a pinky promise…haven't you ever made one?"

"Well, I've heard of an Unbreakable Vow…" The red-head trails off, muttering something about 'my gits of twin brothers…' until the puzzled look on Harry's face tells him he needs to shut up. "…yeah…anyway, so…my pinky?"

"Your pinky."

Ron holds it out and stares at it oddly for a moment before he places it next to the raven's. "O…kay…now what?"

"You swear that we'll stick together?"

"Sure do, mate."

"No matter what?"

"No matter what."

Harry gives him a small grin and laces their pinkies together, shake it once, and let them part accordingly. "Shall we, then?"

"What? Oh…right! Yeah, let's go…"

They fall back into the myriad of fellow first-years, blending into the chatter and buzz that screams anxiety all over. The caress of these emotions, however, never reach Ron, for he is walking behind Harry with a stupid smile plastered on his lips as he thinks of how nice it was to have been so close to the raven.

Hogwarts would definitely not be so bad now…not if he always had somebody to remain at his side.


End file.
